Adumbration

The Guardian calls my attention to another figure in the international police establishment coming out in favor of major reform to the prohibition of drugs.  Here is how they describe Mike Barton, currently the chief constable of the community of Durham in the UK:

"Barton is one of the north of England's most experienced crimefighters and has pioneered initiatives to break up criminal networks in County Durham via his force's "Operation Sledgehammer". He also holds the national intelligence portfolio for the Association of Chief Police Officers across the UK. Under his watch as assistant chief constable of Durham prior to his appointment to the top post earlier this year, there was a recorded 14% drop in total crime figures for his region."

Barton wrote a column published Saturday in The Guardian's Observer that lays out his case, including the following arguments that will sound familiar to those of us on the side of a rational drug policy:

"If you started to give a heroin addict the drug therapeutically, then we would not have the scourge of hepatitis C and Aids spreading among needle users, for instance. I am calling for a controlled environment, not a free-for-all."

"In my force area we have 43 organised crime groups on our radar. Most have their primary source of income in illicit drug supply, all of them are involved in some way. These criminals are often local heroes and role models for young people who covet their wealth. Decriminalising their commodity will immediately cut off their income stream and destroy their power"

Perhaps the UK will be the next European country to take concrete steps to banish the scourge of drug war paranoia, following steps taken 13 years ago in Portugal.